A basement cannabis farm discovered after a fire at a flat in Alexandra Drive, Aigburth

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A firefighter discovered a secret underground cannabis farm while investigating the source of a billow of smoke.

Fire crews rushed to a flat in Alexandra Drive, Aigburth, after the smoke alarms sounded.

As they searched for a blaze, one officer found a trapdoor leading to a basement full of cannabis plants.

Faulty wiring in the underground factory had caused the wooden floor to set on fire.

A basement cannabis farm discovered after a fire at a flat in Alexandra Drive, Aigburth

Firefighter Tony Harland, from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The original entrance to the basement in the building appeared to be blocked and impassable due to a collection of items.

“But a flooring area in a bedroom of the property did not look quite right.

“Cannabis farms and locations where cannabis is grown are simply dangerous and firefighters have attended fires involving these farms where people have had to be rescued.”

Police are now trying to trace the tenants of the flat, owned by housing association Liverpool Housing Trust.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “We are working closely with Liverpool Housing Trust to identify the registered tenants and Liverpool Housing Trust will be taking eviction against those individuals for this reckless criminal act.”

Cannabis grows best in heated environments and dealers often use dangerous electrical equipment to create the ideal conditions for the class B drug.

A basement cannabis farm discovered after a fire at a flat in Alexandra Drive, Aigburth

Mr Harland said: “As a result of tampering with the electrical supply and tampering with the wiring installation, often by self-taught experts, the supply to the property may not be properly earthed and the cabling not secured.

“This could cause metal items within the property to become live, posing a risk of electrocution to members of the public and firefighters – and potential for getting tangled in the cables in heat and smoke.”